Leviticus 16 The Day of Atonement

Moses returns our thoughts back to the sin of Nadab and Abihu who offered strange fire in the Holy Place and God took their lives. As hard as that was, it teaches us the failure of our sinfulness before a Holy God. So, when this chapter crosses our reading, we are to stop and ponder what price has been paid for our sins. In the OT, it was the price of slain animals and their blood and the one goat paying the price of separation from the congregation. Aaron as High Priest offered the blood for himself and the people on this day before God. 

Fast forward to Hebrews 9 and we read: that Christ entered once for our sins. He is our atonement. Two steps: one is the shed blood for our sins and the scapegoat is the price of separation from our sins. Jesus paid it all and for that we are most grateful. 

Today as you read these chapters stop and ponder the price for your sin. Is Jesus your atonement? Have you accepted His payment? Are you now like the free goat or are you like the separated goat wandering in the desert of your sins? Christ is the One whose sacrifice truly cleanses the heavenly holy places, and he’s the One who, like the scapegoat, utterly removes and bears away our sins.